Torre Piloti project wins international design prize with help from CEE’s Paolo Calvi

CEE’s Paolo Calvi helped stabilize Genoa’s new port control tower with an active mass damper system; the project won an international design award.

A team that designed Genoa, Italy’s new port control tower, Torre Piloti, has received THE PLAN Award 2025, an international prize recognizing excellence in architecture, interior design and urban planning. CEE Associate Professor Paolo Calvi was part of the team on this project and helped implement an active mass damper system that keeps the tall, slender tower steady in high winds.

Torre Piloti is the control tower for the Port of Genoa in Italy, where operators monitor and manage maritime traffic. Designed by architect Renzo Piano, the tower rises 65 meters (213 feet) above the waterfront. The new structure replaces a previous pilots’ tower that collapsed in 2013 after a cargo ship collision, a tragedy that claimed nine lives. In the planning and design process that followed, the project team evaluated the tower’s location and developed measures intended to improve safety within the active port environment.

While Torre Piloti’s form is part of what makes it an architectural landmark, it also created an engineering challenge. The tower’s height and slender profile meant that strong coastal winds could induce vibrations that would be felt inside the control room. Wind tunnel testing during the design process showed that, without additional mitigation, motion in high winds could exceed levels considered acceptable for a comfortable, usable workspace.

Calvi was brought in to help address wind-induced vibrations without altering the tower’s design. The team used an active mass damper system, which senses motion and applies stabilizing forces in real time to reduce sway. Unlike passive systems that rely on a fixed weight to dampen movement, active systems respond instantly using sensors and controls.

“The structure was not at risk of collapsing, but the vibrations posed a serious challenge for those that would be working in the control room,” Calvi said in a previous interview. “People could feel sick or even lose their balance.”

For Torre Piloti, the team installed the active mass damper system near the roof level. The devices sense sway and push back, helping keep the tower steady during high winds while preserving the structure’s sleek profile. Testing showed the system significantly reduced vibrations, improving comfort and ensuring the control room can function as intended.

In addition to receiving THE PLAN Award 2025, the Torre Piloti project was shortlisted as a finalist for two other honors: the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) Project and Technology Awards 2025 and the Institution of Structural Engineers’ 2025 Structural Awards.

“This was a special project for me,” Calvi said. “It was exciting to work on something significant for Genoa, a tower that reflects both functionality and the creativity of science and architecture.”